TAHIYRA can win the Coronation Stakes (British Champions Series) (Fillies) (4.20pm) on day four of Royal Ascot 2023.
Dermot Weld’s Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine can prove her pre-eminence in the Fillies mile division with victory in the Group One feature of the fourth day of the Royal meeting at the Berkshire track. The Aga Khan-owned daughter of Siyouni was a smart juvenile and although she only ran twice, she won both starts at Galway and the Curragh. The second at the Curragh was most impressive as she beat Aidan O’Brien’s subsequent Breeders’ Cup winner Meditate comfortably, coming through to lead and scoring by two-and-a-quarter lengths in the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes.
She was sent off a warm favourite for last month’s QIPCO 1,000 Guineas on the back of those efforts. But on her seasonal return Tahiyra was beaten half-a-length by Saeed Bin Suroor’s Mawj at Newmarket, having had a less-than-ideal passage – although the winner was always holding her. While Mawj has not run since – and won't line-up at Ascot – Tahiyra gained compensation when running out an impressive winner of the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh, again getting the better of Meditate. She has clearly improved again from Newmarket and looks a star miler and she can come out on top again to continue her spectacular summer. Meditate is likely to follow her home again.
O'Brien's LITTLE BIG BEAR can prove too good for his rivals in the Group One Commonwealth Cup (British Champions Series) (No Geldings) (3.05pm).
The No Nay Never colt was a superb winner over this same six-furlong trip in the Group One Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh during his juvenile campaign last July, having scored over the minimum distance in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at last year's Royal Ascot the previous month. A setback ruled him out of the rest of the campaign and although his Coolmore connections probably knew a mile may stretch him and sprinting would be his game, they sent him for Classic glory on his return to action last month. He didn’t stay over the mile in the QIPCO 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket last month, having suffered a troubled passage and finished last of 14. But back down to six furlongs in last month's Group Two Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock Park, he ran out a superb winner under Frankie Dettori. He looks to have the six-furlong sprinting division at his mercy and he can win the Group One Commonwealth Cup back at Ascot before potentially being pitched in against his elders in next month's July Cup at Newmarket.
JABAARA can win the Group Three Albany Stakes (Fillies) (2.30pm). Roger Varian’s daughter of Exceed And Excel made a pleasing winning debut, taking a six-furlong contest at Newmarket last month. She looks a potentially smart filly and may give the Varian stable a third victory in the Group Three sprint following Cursory Glance (2015) and Daahyeh in 2019.
Stable-mate KING OF STEEL may gain some compensation for his defeat in the Betfred Derby at Epsom by going one better in the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes (Colts & Geldings) (5.35pm). The Wooton Bassett colt ran a superb race as a 66-1 outsider on his first start of the season at Epsom, only succumbing late on to the smart Auguste Rodin. The duo pulled well clear of the rest of the field – including the reopposing Arrest, Dubai Mile and Artistic Star – and it’s hard to see any of those getting much closer to King Of Steel this time. He looks an improving three-year-old colt and he can give the first boost to the Epsom form by landing the ‘Ascot Derby’.
Andrew Balding’s TEUMESSIAS FOX can win the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap) (3.40pm). The four-year-old, who finished sixth at last year's Royal Ascot, is bidding for a hat-trick of successes this season following wins at Kempton and Newmarket – the latter of which was very impressive. He is up in the handicap but looks set to carry on his winning run.
The John and Thady Gosden-trained COPPICE, under Dettori, can win the Sandringham Stakes (Handicap) (Fillies) (5pm). Italian jockey Dettori, in his final Royal Ascot, has already had two winners for the Gosdens this week with Gregory in the Queen's Vase and spectacularly with Courage Mon Ami in the Ascot Gold Cup today. And Coppice looks to have a big chance of giving him another triumph. The three-year-old Kingman filly has won two of her three starts and looked to be progressing well on judged her victory at Newcastle last month, she can score ahead of chiefly, stable-mate Marksman Queen.
CONQUISTADOR, from the George Boughey stable, can win the finale, the Palace Of Holyrood House Stakes (Handicap) (6.10pm). The three-year-old son of US Navy Flag has won his last two starts on the all-weather at Wolverhampton and Lingfield having shown some promise on the Turf during his juvenile campaign. His win over six furlongs at Lingfield in March has been franked with the runner-up Kerdos being placed at Chester since and the third Democracy Dilemma winning at Thirsk. Conquistador can bring up a hat-trick back on Turf.
Wright Ones
ROYAL ASCOT DAY FOUR
2.30pm Jabaara
3.05pm Little Big Bear
3.40pm Teumessias Fox
4.20pm Tahiyra
5pm Coppice (NAP)
5.35pm King Of Steel
6.10pm Conquistador
